The present invention relates to a side-tarpaulin suspension means on folding tops for commercial vehicles, in particular folding tops which can be pushed together for vehicle bodies and containers.
In the case of known arrangements or suspension means, of side tarpaulins on folding tops for vehicle bodies, in particular also folding tops that can be pushed together for vehicle bodies, provision is typically made for the side tarpaulins to be suspended in a manner such that they can be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the side wall of the vehicle. Such side tarpaulins are typically suspended via hanging sliders which are additionally suspended in most cases by means of two partially spherical rollers in complementarily designed running tracks of the upper longitudinal members of the folding-top frame. The side tarpaulins are usually tensioned via tensioning devices which engage at their lower end or at least interact with engagement means arranged at their lower end, in order to prevent the side tarpaulins from billowing out when the vehicle is being driven. The known tensioning means, which engage in the lower region of the side tarpaulins, may be associated with a considerable effort having to be made by the operator. Alternatively, they may be associated with a relatively high outlay on production if the conditions stipulated for particular transport systems have to be met, for example, the so called piggy-back transportation of European railways conditions.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a side-tarpaulin suspension means which, with a simple suspension means, makes possible a favorable tensioning device for the side-wall tarpaulins of a vehicle body.
According to the invention, this object may be achieved in the case of the side-tarpaulin suspension means mentioned at the beginning in that the fastening plate is of two-part design, that the one part of the fastening plate is connected to the slider engaging in the running track of the upper longitudinal flange of the folding-top frame, and the other part of the fastening plate is connected to the tarpauling, and that the two parts of the fastening plate can be adjusted relative to each counter to a resisting means.
A side-tarpaulin suspension means is therefore provided which improves conventional designs for commercial vehicles, in particular in the case of designs for vehicle bodies and containers, to the effect that while the longitudinally displaceable side-wall tarpaulins still have a simple suspension means and simple manoeuvrabilty, an improved tensioning device, which is optimized with regard to the expenditure of energy associated therewith, for side-wall tarpaulins of a vehicle body is achieved.
The shifting of the means for tensioning and maintaining the tensioning of the side-wall tarpaulin from the lower end thereof to the upper end thereof first of all brings about a simplification of the manoeuvring of the side-wall tarpaulin as it is being opened and closed, since the side-wall tarpaulin now only has to be fastened by its lower end to the vehicle body and the tensioning then automatically arises from the spring forces acting at the upper end on the side-wall tarpaulin. Above all, the operator no longer needs to pay attention to maintaining and obtaining tensioning of the side-wall tarpaulin. Finally, the shifting of the device for tensioning and maintaining the tensioning of the side-wall tarpaulin from the lower, mnanoeuvrable end thereof to the upper end thereof also results in a simplification of the tensioning means. In particular, the means provided according to the invention for producing a resistance against a relative movement of the two parts of the fastening plate may be of completely different design and, for example, even formed by strips or blocks of an elastically deformable material.
In the case of a device for producing and maintaining tensioning in a side-wall tarpaulin of a vehicle body, provision is expediently made for the two parts of the fastening plate to be movable relative to each other counter to the load of a tension spring. The tension spring can advantageously be formed by a helical spring and can be fitted at one end to that part of the fastening plate which is connected to the slider and at the other end to that part of the fastening plate which is fastened to the tarpaulin, in each case by means of a hole recess and a partially annular end hook.
In order to obtain and ensure as frictionless as possible an adjustment of the two parts of a divided fastening plate even after relatively long operating times and exposure to the effects of environmental conditions, provision is preferably additionally made for the two parts which can be moved relative to each other of the fastening plate to be guided on each other, preferably by that part of the fastening plate which is connected to the slider being designed as a planar flat material blank which is provided with a central oblong recess and by that part of the fastening plate which is connected to the tarpaulin being of bracket-shaped design and being provided at least on one side with claws which grip behind the longitudinal edges of the oblong recess in that part which is connected to the slider.
In a further advantageous refinement, provision may further be made for the back surface, which is assigned to the fastening of the tarpaulin, of that part of the fastening plate which is to be connected to the tarpaulin to have an essentially triangular outline shape which tapers from the top downwards, and therefore with a design which in itself saves on weight to the greatest possible extent, for the greatest possible bearing surface to be ensured at least for the connection to the side-wall tarpaulin.
Provision can further expediently be made for the tarpaulin to be fastened in the region of its greatest width to a back surface of the part connected to the tarpaulin by means of a pressure-distribution plate and a riveted joint comprising at least two rivets.
As an alternative to this, it is, however, advantageously possible to design a side-wall-tarpaulin suspension means according to the invention in such a manner that the one part of the fastening plate which is connected to the tarpaulin and has an outline shape which tapers from the top downwards is designed such that it grips with its upper region around that part of the fastening plate which is connected to the slider and in this region is guided on the part of the fastening plate which is connected to the slider by means of an oblong recess in that leg region of its bracket shape which is set perpendicular to the plane of its back surface.
In connection with such a form of implementation, provision can then expediently furthermore be made for the recess which is arranged in the longitudinal centre of that part of the fastening plate which is connected to the slider and which has a width over the length of the bracket-shaped part which essentially corresponds in width to the diameter of the tension spring to be provided in its lower region with a widened portion.
Irrespective of the preferred form of implementation in each case, an advantageous manner of refinement resides in the fact that the slider which is connected to the one part of the fastening plate and is guided in the running track of the upper longitudinal flange of the folding-top frame comprises two rollers which are each partially spherical.
Further advantages and features of the invention emerge from the following description.